WALKING HORNER WOOD AND THE DUNSTER PATH

WORDS by Sue Viccars PHOTOS by Andrew Hobbs

s well as writing individual walks several opinions!), and where to park, Dunster Path (top) across the Porlock Vale for magazines and leaflets, over and the question of whether the stiles are towards the sea. All the ascent comes at Athe years I've been commissioned OK for dogs, where the loos are, and the the start, but you can sit down at the to write many collections of walks to be nearest café or pub, and local transport Jubilee Hut (above), drink in the views over published in book form, mostly in the options – as well as making sure to avoid the Horner Valley and catch your breath. South West but with a couple of forays busy stretches of road or patches of 'north' (the official guide to the Pennine bog… there's a surprising amount to think The return route along the lower edge of Bridleway, for example, and a book on about and plan! Luccombe Hill and through the pretty the Wychavon Way). Commissions for little village of the same name is easy, but books describing a number of walking So, every now and then, it's really nice keep an eye on where you are along the routes often come with the proviso to get the chance to describe a walk that path so that you don't miss the junction that each must have a different theme doesn't have a particular theme, or a described at Point 7. If you do miss the – archaeology, legends, natural history special reason behind its inclusion in a right fork mentioned here, just keep and so on. book or magazine, but is there, quite going on your original path, soon simply, because it's just beautiful – and crossing a stream on a broad bridge This provides a framework for the author that's enough! So in this issue I am to reach a path crossroads; turn right to work to, in that geographical spread describing a really lovely 'kicking through on a restricted byway and through a of routes across the area in question (be the leaves' walk for autumn. It includes gate to reach the cottages at the top of that a National Park or a county) has to many of the best locations within the Luccombe reached at the end of Point be balanced, and themes nicely spaced National Trust's Holnicote Estate, and it 7. Alternatively, if you want to miss out out, too. And then there's distance, and makes the most of wonderful colour in Luccombe completely and shorten the estimated time to complete the walk Horner Wood (a Site of Special Scientific walk by a tiny bit, keep ahead at the path (affected by terrain, how many walkers, Interest and a National Nature Reserve/ crossroads to rejoin the main route at fitness, ability and so on), and level of NNR) as the leaves turn golden brown; Chapel Cross, reached at the end of difficulty (about which there can be it also offers stunning views from the Point 8 (see map on page 52).

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1 Start

2 9 Views! 8 3 7

4 Views! 6 5 FACTFILE MAP OS Explorer 9 Exmoor; OS Landranger 181 Minehead & Brendon Hills START Horner Green SS898454 DISTANCE & TIME 6¾ miles (10.9km); 3.5 hours PARKING & TOILETS NT car park, Horner (members park free, non-members £3 all day) TERRAIN Woodland tracks, moorland paths (some rough underfoot), steep ascent through Horner Wood at start REFRESHMENTS Horner Tea Gardens are open 10am-5pm, until early November. T: 01643 862132. Horner Vale Tearoom is open 11am-5pm until the end of September. T: 01643 862506. NOTE To access the start of the walk leave the car park via a narrow path to the right of the toilets; at the lane turn right to reach Horner Green.

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THE ROUTE 3 On meeting the path (the line of the Luccombe Hill with stunning views, Coleridge Way/CW) in front of the Jubilee soon straight down Porlock Vale towards 1 From the green set off down the level Hut, turn right. At a fork keep right, now the sea and Bossington Hill (below). track along the valley bottom (signed on a permitted bridleway (below), parallel Horner Wood), soon crossing Horner to an easy access path, to reach the car Packhorse Bridge over the Horner Water park and viewpoint at Webber's Post. At (it has been suggested that the name the edge of the car park turn left to meet 'Horner' comes from the Saxon hwrnwr, the road, and cross over; immediately meaning 'snorer'!), then passing through bear half right across grass under conifers a gate into the Horner Wood NNR. The to reach the next road. packhorse bridge dates from the late- medieval period, and (rather nicely) is known locally as 'Hacketty Way Bridge'.

2 Turn left over the first footbridge, The limewashed tower of Selworthy's signed Tucker's Path and Webber's Post, Church of All Saints stands out clearly and ascend steadily to pass another (below), as does the tower of St Mary the signpost (return loop to Horner left). Virgin at Luccombe. This glorious path Zigzag very steeply up through the trees descends gently across the slopes of to reach a path crossroads (crossing Dunkery Hill, catching glimpses of houses the Windsor Walk). Keep straight across at Wootton Courtenay ahead. (Tucker's Path to Webber's Post).

Continue to ascend very steeply, with increasingly good views across the treetops (below), eventually reaching open ground. Ahead stands the wooden Jubliee Hut (bottom). It's a great place to recover from the climb, with wonderful views towards Dunkery Beacon across the wooded valley. (Some of the seats are dedicated to people and organisations who have played a significant role on Ignore odd paths heading off left, and Exmoor.) then pass a signed bridlepath.

5 At the next bridlepath (signed to Wootton Courtenay) turn left. Descend 4 Cross over to reach the edge of open towards woodland, soon bearing right. ground (parking area). Bear right across it, At a sign keep downhill on the permitted heading for another Coleridge Way sign path, avoiding the house at Higher that comes into view ahead. Brockwell, through a glade of silver birch. Descend alongside a hedgebank to reach At the sign keep ahead between bracken a bridlepath junction (below) outside the and scattered mountain ash, to reach a gates to the house: Brockwell is signed path T-junction. Turn left on the Dunster ahead. Path (CW, signed to Wootton Courtenay) (below), which runs along the contours of

6 Turn sharp left on the bridlepath to Horner, and follow it along the lower edge of Dunkery Hill through beautiful woodland, often between beech hedgebanks and moss-covered walls

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(above). Occasional bridlepaths feed onto marked by a blue splodge on a tree – 9 After a few paces bear left off the road the track from left and right, before deer take a narrow path which forks right to and through a gate (below) on a track fencing flanks the path on the right; a cross the stream then runs alongside the (note the remains of foundations on the lovely view of Selworthy church appears deer fence at the lower edge of woodland other side of the lane, site of the medieval over a gate. Pass a sign for the Exmoor to emerge between cottages at the top St Andrew's Chapel). Society's Woodcock Gardens, and end of Luccombe. continue through the woodland. Head along a broad track under tall 8 Turn right, downhill. The narrow conifers and sweet chestnuts, soon Cross a stream, after which the vista lane (above) descends past beautiful bearing right along the lower edge of broadens as the path runs along the yellow limewashed cottages to reach Luccombe Plantation. At a split keep lower end of Hollow Girt, a shallow the church (above, right). Follow the lane ahead along the bottom of the wood. combe heavy with bracken and gorse. (Stoney Street) on to a T-junction and Eventually meet a broader track at a The last bridlepath right is signed to Holt turn left, passing the village hall, phone T-junction and turn right, downhill. Pass Ball; our path soon follows a lovely old box and little village green. through a deer gate and descend more hedgebank then bears left, slightly uphill, steeply. Go through another gate to reach before levelling. At the junction follow the road left, the lane and turn left, downhill, soon signed to Horner, and across the stream. passing Horner Mill (built in the 1850s 7 Just before the path crosses a stream The lane ascends gently to reach Chapel to mill imported corn) to regain the – and starts to ascend under conifers, Cross; keep straight on. car park.

From the gate at the start of Point 9 (right), the last section of the route enjoys a lovely undulating path that provides fantastic displays of colour, near and far – out towards Bossington Hill – at the height of autumn.

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